The invention relates to a method for the stabilization of dry pet foods when such foods are subjected to semimoist conditions. More specifically, the invention relates to a wafer-like supplement that is produced as a dry pet food yet stored and packaged along with a semi-moist pet food. As an art recognized term "dry pet food" means one having a moisture content less than 15 percent by weight of the final product. By "semi-moist pet food" is meant one having a moisture content between 15 and 50 percent by weight of the final product.
Pet foods having a moisture content below 15 percent normally do not require protection against microbiological decomposition. When packaged with a product having a higher moisture content, the moisture content of the pet foods tend to equalize leading to decomposition of the dry pet food.
Thus, dry pet foods heretofore could not be produced, and stored with semi-moist for fear that the dry pet food would lose its integrity and become moldy and often soggy. The production of these two types of pet foods had to be separated to prevent any accidental intermingling.
It has similarly felt to be impossible to package a semi-moist pet food along with a dry pet food because it was felt that the moisture content of the two types of pet foods would equalize causing a loss of integrity to the dry pet food. It was further felt that the dry pet food would require great amounts of sugar to prevent microbiological deterioration. Thus, propositions for the production of nutritional supplements to pet foods required that the supplements be of the same type as the pet food itself. For example, it was felt that a semi-moist pet food required the use of a semi-moist supplement high in sugar content. The present invention, however, relates to a method for stabilizing dry pet foods so that they can be used as supplements with semi-moist pet foods without requiring the use of great amounts of sugar, i.e., 25 percent, required by semi-moist pet foods for stability.